When I'm With You
by ivebeensherlokied
Summary: Kristan Murphy is your average girl that works as a make-up artist upon. She tries to keep everything professional. When she is hired to be one of the make up artists on 'The Vampire Diaries', things get a little out of hand.
1. When I'm With You

_When I'm With You  
>Chapter One – When I'm With You<br>_

When I got the offer to be upon the set of the _'Vampire Diaries'_ as one of the key make-up artists, I was hesitant. It paid good and I had a contract for the entirety of the second season but there was so many other good things I wanted to experience in that year that I would be spending upon the set. I wanted to get out into the world once more after my little resting period where I only did jobs here and there on photo shoots. I wanted to take a break on life but when I got a call from a job that I applied for as kind of a joke saying that that job was mine, I almost hung up the phone and not believing what I heard.

That was yesterday, by the way, and now, here I am, waking up at three in the morning to prepare for the shoot. I was floating around the small apartment I had found near the location in Georgia with a bowl of cereal and feeling bags forming underneath my eyes. The television was on in the corner but there was no sound coming through it. I watched the screen silently from the kitchen bench, eating my muesli. It was a tasteless bowl of muesli and I soon dumped it for a banana, throwing the muesli into the bin and washing the bowl as I ate my banana. I was going to sit upon the second hand couch near the television but the alarm upon my blackberry began to ring, saying that I had only an hour left to get changed and go.

I rolled my eyes and shut off the television. Taking my blackberry from the kitchen bench, I plugged it into the wall to be charged and floated into my small bedroom. The apartment was so small that I could get from one end of the apartment to the other in a matter of steps. I pulled out a pair of knee high boots, thick black leggings, a pair of shorts, a white t-shirt with a thick jacket and threw them onto the bed. I then pulled out a change of underwear and made the run to the bathroom. The problem with this apartment was that there was a window in the gap between the bathroom and the bedroom, making the bedroom/bathroom run almost impossible. In my search of things to fill the apartment, I had tried to find something that would help cover that up and the best I could do was a tall pot plant.

Shutting the door behind me, even thought I was the only person in the apartment, I stripped off all my clothes and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I wouldn't be the one that you would call an attractive person. I was on the line of being underweight and where I should be of a person of my stature. I was a small girl, around five four, and wearing clothes that could fit an average size teen. I had a non existent ass and boobs that didn't exist. The underwear that I wore was just for looks and barely held anything in place. I wore undies for obvious reasons but the bra was practically there because if I was caught without one, it seem a little strange.

You could almost see every single one of my ribs pocking through my skin and my bones jutting out at various points with my collarbone clearly visible upon my chest. You must be reading this and thinking what kind of person I was to let myself get to this stage. I guess I just worked so hard that I didn't look after myself properly and let myself get this thin. It is an awful sight, seeing myself in the mirror, so I preferred not to look there. The only thing that I saw in myself that was decent was my hair and my eyes. I had these brilliant sea green eyes that shone from my skin and the curly brown hair that fell about my shoulders. Think of 'Katerina's' curls and it was exactly like that. Other than that, though, I hated looking at myself in the mirror.

I moved into the shower where I quickly washed my hair and pulled at the curls to try and untangle them with the conditioner. By the time I was finished, I threw myself out of the shower and dried myself quickly. I slipped not he change of underwear underneath my robe and threw my other clothes into a washing basket in the corner that was practically fully. After work, I reminded myself, I needed to go to the laundromat to get them cleaned. There surely should be one around here somewhere. I pulled out my personal make-up kit and put on some foundation so my skin looked less like it was clinging to my bones. I lined my eyes with some green eyeliner and mascara along with some darker eyeshadow. I took a few minutes to dry my hair and let it fall naturally about my bony shoulders.

I moved from the bathroom quickly and made the run to my small bedroom. My bed was shoved in the corner to avoid clutter with a small beside table beside it. There was a glass of water still there from the night before and a clock sitting upon it with a box of tissues beside it. There was a standalone wardrobe that I had bough from Ikea that was filled with all the clothes that I had brought over from my apartment in the Bronx that my friend was now occupying while I was here in Georgia. I pulled on my leggings and my shorts over them before I pulled on my boots. I pulled my t-shirt over my head as I grabbed some tissues and shoved them down my top to give my boobs some look. Stop judging, people still do stuff like what I just did and I was in desperate need of looking good for my first day. Then they could make their judgments.

I pulled on my jacket before I rushed out of the room, grabbing my work make-up case from the bathroom and went into the kitchen where I grabbed my phone and handbag from the kitchen bench. I found my eyes in a bowl by the door and heard my phone going off again saying that I had to get my non existent but going. I made it down the stairs, since the building I was staying in had an elevator that was in repair, and out onto the street where my car was parked in a matter of seconds. I threw my things into the backseat of my messy car and started it up. I was down the street heading towards the set that wasn't far from where I was staying with no music since my radio had broken on the drive from the Bronx. Another thing that I would have to get fixed since I was so busy trying to get my apartment filled in the day I had given myself to get settled. Not much time to do anything, really. I had so much to do in my apartment to make it liveable it was ridiculous.

I reached the set in a matter of minutes, pulling up into a car park that was only filled by the snow that was beginning to fall. I went passed a security guard who waved me passed when I told him my name and he gave me a lanyard to wear whenever I was set. I found a park near some of the trailers and took my time getting out of the car. It was around four thirty in the morning and there was a hint of sun over the horizon. For the beginning of winter, it was starting to get really cold and I shivered as I got out of the car. Dragging my things out with me, I locked the car behind me as I floated between the trailers. I found one that had _'Hair + Make-Up (Damon, Stefan, Elena, Bonnie, Caroline)'_ as well as another truck that had the same thing but for different actors. I stood hesitantly between them when a group of people approached me with coffee's in hands and steam coming from them.

When they saw me, the only male amongst them paused the rest of the group and asked me, "Kristan Murphy?"

"Yeah," I said, shivering slightly. "Who are you?"

"I'm Eamon, one of the make-up artists that will be working with you," he said, extending his hand. I took that chance to study him, noticing his large frame the darkness of his skin. He brilliant brown eyes and shoulder length brown hair with large hands that covered all of my own when we shook hands. He looked down at my hand and noticed how bony it was but instantly took his attentions away from it and handed me the second coffee he was holding. "Thought you might need this."

"Thanks," I said, accepting the drink and turning my attention to the other girls that accompanied him.

"I'm Hannah," said the girl beside Eamon and extended her hand. She had blonde hair and bright blue eyes with a brilliant smile. "Nice to meet you, Kristan." She motioned towards the girl beside her with a shade darker blonde of hair beside her and dark eyes. "This is Amy, she's been mute since birth but that doesn't mean she can't do a killer hair cut."

I smiled at Amy and extended my hand to her. She took it enthusiastically and I laughed. Eamon then ushered us into the trailer I first came across and turned on the light as we walked into the room. I settled my things upon the bench and found what must've been Eamon's collection of make-up upon the desk also. On the other side of the bench was all the hair products that any girl could have wished for. I smiled at the collection as Eamon settled himself on the couch on the other side of the room and Amy going to the iPod dock in the corner of the room where she put in her own iPod, starting to play some _OneRepublic_. Hannah settled herself upon one of the swivel chairs and watched Amy bound around the trailer, dancing. I smiled at the sight of Amy dancing around the room and I noticed the others doing so as well.

My smile froze, however, when I saw a man that proved to have almost the features of an angel. Or so I thought. Brilliant blue eyes stuck out against his black snow stained hair. His lips were pink while the rest of his face remained white, minus the five o'clock shadow that lined his jaw. The man, I soon realised, was my first client and none other than Damon Salvatore.


	2. From The Eyes Of Damon

_When I'm With You  
>Chapter Two – From The Eyes Of Damon<br>_

"Morning, guys," he said with a smile as he came into the trailer and closed the door behind him. Amy turned down the music in the corner as she waved to Ian who waved back politely. "Don't know how today is going to go with the snow and all, but I'm sure they'll make it work."

Guessing what he meant by _they_, he mean the crew that helped make the show work. Eamon and Hannah waved at Ian as he took off his coat and hung over the edge over the arm of the couch by Eamon, who couldn't keep his eyes off Ian. I studied Eamon for a moment as he continued to watch Ian and noticed how he looked at him longingly. Pitty, I soon realised, that Eamon turned out to be gay. He was actually kind of good looking for, what I was guessing, Hispanic self. But just because there was as possibility that he was gay doesn't mean that I couldn't be friends with him. He seemed like a nice person when I met him, shouting me a coffee and all when we hardly even knew each other.

While I was studying Eamon, Ian turned his eyes towards me since, as it seemed, he already knew Hannah, Eamon and Amy. I was a new face to him, and a thin one at that. The rest of the girls in the room at least had a little bit of meat on them while I was excessively thin in comparison. It was one of the first times that I had felt self-conscious about my weight, pulling at my jacket to try and cover up my thinness. I knew that aside my self-consciousness so I stopped playing with my jacket and extended my hand to Ian.

"Hey, I'm Kristan," I said, his lips beautifully curving to smile at me as he took my hand and shook it. "I'm the new make-up artist."

He looked down at my hand and noticed it's thinness, as Eamon did, but Ian seemed to notice a little more. It seemed to just _crumple_ underneath his grip. I felt a slight burning in my hand as his grip tightened and I pulled a face as I felt it. He noticed my face and instantly loosened his grip. He took my hand, instead, and pressed it to his wonderful lips. Feeling his lips against my frail and injured hand, my mouth formed an _'O'_ as he kissed it. His eyes were fixated upon me as he kissed my hand and as soon as his lips left my hand, I felt myself go red as I took my own hand back. Ian's curvaceous smile returned to his lips as he studied my reaction.

I looked around the room to see Amy with her hand over her mouth, as if laughing, while Hannah eyes were glued to his mobile phone and missed the whole situation. I was glad of that but what I wasn't glad of was Eamon's seductive look, his mouth curled up at the sides as he looked to me. I blushed even redder as I turned my attentions from Eamon in attempt to calm my reddening. I motioned for Ian to sit on the spare seat that hadn't been occupied by Hannah. Ian nodded and took the seat as I took my jacket off, revealing my thinness even more. In my playfulness, I threw my jacket to Eamon and he grunted as he took my jacket as I threw it too him.

I turned to Ian who sighed as he looked to the coffee I had barely had and said to him, "You can have it, if you'd like. You'll probably need it more than I do."

"Are you sure?" Ian asked, his eyes flickering to me. "I don't want to take something away from you that your in need of, Kristan."

"Have it," I said, picking up bits and pieces from my make-up case. "You're the one that needs to look refreshed and energetic for the shoot, not me. I'm just the make-up artist, remember?" I heard Eamon grunt again behind me as Ian relented and took the coffee from the bench. "Besides, I'm lactose intolerant, so it's not like I can have it anyway."

"Kristan, one," Eamon said. "Eamon, none."

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Eamon," I said as I took the coffee from Ian's fingertips and set it back on the bench. "It's not like you were bound to know." Ian gave me one of his famous pouts as I leant down in front of him to apply a little foundation when my brows furrowed. "I think you need to get rid of that five o'clock shadow of yours."

"Damn it," Ian said as I went back to my make-up kit. "And I forgot to bring my razor, too."

I pulled out a razor in my kit that I carried around with me just incase I needed it for either personal reasons or for my clients and I held it up in front of me, as if modelling it, and said, "May I present to you, the Gillette five thousand."

Ian laughed as I surprised myself when I found some shaving cream amongst the clatter upon the bench. I motioned for Ian to look to me as I applied some shaving cream to his five o'clock shadow before I set it back down and began to shave off what little beard he had. I concentrated hard, trying hard not to cut him in the process. I got about half way across his jawline when I felt his eyes studying me down his nose. I hated how he stared at me like I as some twig that could be easily snapped, or was he staring at me like that? Was he looking at me like I was someone _attractive_? No, that was a ridiculous thought. How can anyone find someone like me, an anorexic make-up artist of twenty-seven years, attractive?

I finished shaving Ian and set some water upon a tissue from amongst the clutter on the bench and cleaned the remnants off his face. As I ran my fingers over his jaw, I noticed his jawline was very prominent and strong. I admired him for that as I threw the tissues into the bin underneath the bench. I then applied little moisturiser so I could start applying some make-up to his already beautiful face. I saw his eyes flutter as I applied the moisturiser and raised an eyebrow as he did so. When he opened his eyes, he saw my expression and he smiled one of his famous _'Damon'_ smiles. This made me blush slightly as I applied a little foundation to his features.

"Your eye flutter," I muttered so that only he could hear me but it's not like it mattered as the music was turned up once more. "What was that?"

"It's just," he said as I finished applying his foundation and began applying a little mascara. "You're very good with your hands, even though I might've done something serious to them." Ian took the hand he had hurt as I finished applying mascara to one of his eyes. "Is it okay?"

"It's fine," I said, pulling my hand from his as I finished off applying the mascara. "No need to cuddle me because you accidentally hurt me."

His lips thinned as I moved from him and noticed how much strong his eyes seemed underneath the make-up I had applied. I then pulled out a little eyeliner that I applied very little to underneath his eyes to make his magnificent blue eyes stand out stronger. I could see him eying me, trying to figure me out and knowing he was having a hard time in doing so. I liked how I was mysterious to him and I was wondering how long I could keep it like that. I smiled at him as I applied a little pink to his lips and pulled away from him, finally satisfied. I picked up the coffee I had given him and he gratefully took it.

I looked up to Amy who bounded across the room towards me and Ian with a comb and straightener. She warmed the straightener as I began busying myself with cleaning my station so that it was back to the way it was. In the reflection, Ian's eyes were focussed upon me and how I moved about the bench. My eyes drifted to my cleavage and moved my t-shirt so that he couldn't look down it as I cleaned up the rest of my things. When I had finished cleaning my things, so had Amy upon his hair. She danced her way back to the corner of the room and flicked through some more songs upon her iPod.

Ian stood from his seat and leaned down to whisper in my ear, "You know, you shouldn't really do that to yourself. Only really desperate girls do what you just did as you prepped yourself this morning." I stiffened as he left my side to Eamon and picking up his jacket. Through the mirror, I noticed that Eamon was purposely holding Ian's eyes for longer than was necessary before Ian broke away for obvious reasons. "See you guys."

He waved at everyone as he slipped on his jacket and headed towards the door. Amy turned around and waved enthusiastically while Hannah didn't even look up from her mobile phone and raised her hand. Ian didn't even bother to look back to Eamon, again for obvious reason, but his eyes _did_ hover upon me for longer than expected. I looked down from him in the mirror as he opened the door and left the trailer, a waft of snow travelling into the room. I sat in the seat that he was just sitting in and sighed, letting my body relax into it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hannah put away her mobile and rest her eyes upon me.

"One celebrity has a little crush on the make-up artist," Hannah said mockingly as she leant forward in her seat.

"One that I've had my eye on for quite sometime, now," Eamon said from the couch, which made Hannah and I laugh. "And it's not funny, either, so you can stop your laughing."

"It's funny because Kristen got more action than you ever did from him in the last _year_ we have been working upon this show," Hannah said with a playful smile upon her lips.

"Don't make me throw this drink at you," Eamon said, his features showing how annoyed he had become.

"Someones getting a little worked up," Hannah said, causing us to laugh once again.

"Shut up," Eamon said, burring himself into the couch and glaring at Hannah over the top of his coffee.

"Besides," Hannah said, her concentration focussing upon me. "I don't even know how you did it with how you look and everything."


	3. Out For Dinner

_When I'm With You  
>Chapter Three – Out For Dinner<br>_

"A little harsh, don't you think, Hannah?" Eamon said. "Leave the girl alone. She obviously has her reasons for being the way she is just like you have your reasons for being the way you are."

"Yeah, but it's not like I'll let myself get _that_ thin," Hannah said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Amy looked over to Hannah from her ipod and walked to her. Hannah looked to Amy as she slapped Hannah hard across the face. My hand went to my mouth as I watched situation unfold. Before Hannah could retaliate, Eamon was in between them and his coffee in my spare hand. He glared at them both, forcing Hannah from her seat and to the door that opened as she placed her hand upon the handle. She jumped back as who I recognised as Stefan Salvatore and Elena Gilbert walk through the door. They looked in curiously, seeing what was going on and became hesitant about going into the room.

I sighed and motioned for them to come into the room. They didn't know who I was but they took my advice anyway and hovered in the middle of the trailer. Hannah glared at Eamon and Amy before slamming the door behind her as she left. I set Eamon's coffee down when I saw how Nina and Paul hovered nervously, extending my hand to Paul first. He looked at me with a confused glance as I introduced myself.

"I'm Kristan," I said as he took my hand and shook it. "Thew new make-up artist."

"Thank God," I heard Nina say as our hands disconnected. "She was an absolute _bitch_ and was one of the worst artists in this place. I don't even know how they hire her."

"I'm Paul," he said before he motioned towards Nina. "And this lovely girl is Nina."

"Hey," Nina said, taking my hand and studying my hand as she shook it. "Your hand is almost thinner than mine." She smiled as our hands broke apart. "I think I might have a competitor for the skinniest on this set."

"At least you look beautiful unlike my frail self," I said as I motioned them into the seats that had been vacated.

"You will look a ton better once you have food in you," Nina said, taking the seat that Ian was previously in and Paul taking the seat that Hannah had vacated.

Amy and Eamon broke apart, their muttering stopped as the turned to complete their work as Paul said to me, "So, how about you, me, Nina and Ian for dinner tonight?"

Eamon raised an eyebrow at me as he said that before distracting himself by applying a similar make to Paul that I had to Ian. Whenever I worked, I always tried to keep my clients and my life separate. If they were my co-workers, I would go out for dinner or drinks now and then but when it came to people like Nina and Paul, I was hesitant. They were actors, and very good at what they did so who knew if I was being played or not. I began applying a little make up to Nina as I thought, Amy preparing herself to do their hair. As I looked into Nina's expectant face, thinking of my response, I decided I would take a chance as I pulled away from her once I had applied her mascara and eyeliner.

"Why not?" I said, exchanging my current tools for a bit of eye shadow. "What's the worst the could happen, right?"

"Do you have a car?" Paul asked as Eamon pulled away from him and let Amy do her work upon Paul's hair.

"How else would I have gotten here?" I said as I finished off Nina's make up with a little lipstick.

"Good, that's means you can take Ian," Paul said as I set my things down upon the bench and sit down upon the couch beside Eamon.

"How is that good?" I questioned and Eamon looked over to me with an expectant glance.

"How _isn't_ it?" Eamon muttered so I could only hear.

"It means that Nina and I can have some time alone before we go to dinner," Paul said, reaching over to Nina and taking her hand.

"You guys are dating?" I said as Amy finished Paul's hair and moved on to Nina's.

"You're really not up with the times, are you?" Paul laughed as he spun around to look at me as he spoke.

"I'm not that kind of girl that would know everything about everyone on one of my favourite television shows," I said. "I just watch the show, that's all."

"I'm liking you more already," Paul said as Amy finally finished Nina's hair and moved aside as she stood.

"I'll pass a message onto Ian to meet you by your car after the shoot," Nina said as Paul joined her by the door. "What does your car look like?"

"It's not like it's hard to find," I said. "It's a secondhand porsche 911 that looks kind of beat up in the corner of the car park."

"What colour?" she said as Paul opened the door.

"Black," I said as Paul ushered her out of the trailer.

"See you round!" Nina said as Paul rolled his eyes and closed the door behind them.

"You have an old school porsche?" Eamon exclaimed.

"It was my dad's originally but he had no use for it after he moved to NYC," I said. "It looked like I needed it more since it looked like I was moving out here for a while."

"Your from NYC?" Eamon said, pointing his finger at me and his eyebrows raised questionably as I nodded. "Girl, you are like my new bestie."

"Good to know I at least have one friend out here," I said when I saw Amy jumping up and down with her hand held up high. "I'll at least make that two."

After all the make-up had been done, Amy and Eamon took their leave and went in search of Hannah, saying that they're job finished once all the basic hair and make-up had been done. It was my job to keep everything in check upon set once they had left. I took my case and locked everything up behind me as I left, taking Eamon's directions to where the set was. It was about a ten minute walk to what I recognised as Elena's house from the series. There were actors and crew everywhere, final touches being put on the set and actors rehearsing their lines. I couldn't find a seat to put my things on so I suspected that I would just have to hover with my things somewhere amongst the crew.

As I hovered onto the set, I caught the attention of a man in the director's chair who ushered me forward. He said that I would have to hover near him as much as possible incase he saw a flaw in their make-up, which wouldn't happen since he said I had already done a good job. I smiled at his complement and took a few steps back from him, watching the actors fall into place that only happened to be Nina and Paul for this scene. I could see Ian floating off the set and seeing me as he left it. He smiled at me with his beautifully pink lips and took his place beside me, watching as the scene began. He gave me a small wave since we weren't allowed to talk during takes. I mouthed my hello to him as the scene continued.

When the take was called to a close, Ian leant down to me, since I was much shorter than he was, and said, "I heard you were coming out to dinner tonight and kindly giving someone a lift while their car is in repair."

"You heard correctly," I said, smiling at him.

"I'm glad you decided to come," Ian said as the director called him to the set. "I can get to know a little pretty girl more."

I blushed slightly as he winked at me. He walked towards the set, slowly looking away from me as he did so. I rocked back and forth on my heels as I watched him leave my side, my hands gripping tightly around my belongings. It wasn't long before I had to rid myself of these thoughts as the director called me to Nina to fix up a little of her hair and add a little more pink to her lips. I smiled at her as I did so, her lips turning into a knowing smile. I tried not to have a reaction to such a thing as I fixed up what needed to be done and disappeared from her side. As I left, though, I felt a rough hand running along my thing one. I looked down to see Ian's hand running along hand but when I looked to him, his eyes were focussed upon the director.

I instantly looked away from him as I continued off set and watched the rest of the scene play out. The rest of the day was much like this, going on set occasionally to fix up make-up and add a little more oomph to certain people's hair. At one point, I had to add a substance that looked like blood to the actors lips. When I got to doing Ian, I could feel his hand hovering near my thin waist and his fingers rubbing along my waist lightly. I almost glared at him for distracting me form my work and moved away from him as soon as I was done without a backwards glance. He looked as scary, but as sexy as ever when I looked at him through the camera shots by the director's chair.

I was proud of the work that I had done so far today, but there was always room for improvement. As the director called it a wrap for the day, the sun beginning to set, Nina smiled at me widely as she walked passed me towards wardrobe. I gave her a small nod as she walked passed. Paul approached me, motioning to hurrying this up as I quickly wiped all the make-up from his face. He mentioned that he would see me soon as he disappeared from my side. None of the other girls came to me, mentioning how they liked how I did their make-up that they were going to go out tonight like Paul, Nina, Ian and I were doing but in their separate ways. This warmed my heart a little as Ian approached me, taking out my cleansing wipes again to clean his face of the make-up I had put on him.

He kept his eyes closed the entire time as I wiped his face down. My fingers hovered over his lips as I cleaned them of the blood that stained him. I heard him moan slightly, repulsing me slightly. I had no effect like that on someone before and I didn't ant to start now with Ian. I pulled myself away from him and packed up my things, officially signing off for the day. I motioned for Ian to follow me back to the car park. For the ten whole minutes we spent walking to my car, we said nothing and I wasn't really sure if I could say that I enjoyed the silence between us. It was awkward and pleasing at the same time. I couldn't exactly make up my mind at the moment.

Reaching the car, I opened the doors and slipped into it, throwing my things into the back. I cleared the passenger seat of all my clothes and rubbish, pushing them into the back with my make-up case. Ian laughed as he slipped into the car as I started it up. As we pulled out of the car park, he tried to get the radio to work but when I mentioned that it needed to be repaired, he sighed and gave up trying to make it work. He gave me directions as we drove out of the car park and towards the restaurant we would be eating at.

"I'm going to take it in to get repaired on one of these days," I said. "For now, we just have each other to fill the silence."

"I like the silence between us," Ian said as he pointed me towards a restaurant and I began to search for a car space. "It's calming and unlike what I have experienced with anyone else."

I smiled at this as I found a car space by the restaurant and turned off the car. I accompanied him out of the car and towards the restaurant, taking my hand bag and locking the car behind me. The restaurant was filled with a few people but wasn't full like I was used to restaurant's being back in the Bronx. The hostess that approached us had a look of shock upon her face when she saw Ian walking in with me and almost squealed but I pressed my finger to my lips, quietening her. She smiled at us widely as she led us to a table in the back corner of the restaurant. Ian and I beside each other, thinking of Nina and Paul, knowing that they would want to sit next to each other when they arrived.

The hostess looked as us expectantly, waiting to see if we wanted any drinks and caused me to say, "Can I get a tequila sunrise?"

"Just a scotch, thanks," Ian said as she nodded to us both and disappearing from our table. Ian turned to me as I buried myself into the corner of the booth. "Now, little one. You have a reason for being how beautiful you are?"


	4. Who Is Kristan Murphy?

_When I'm With You  
>Chapter Four – Who Is Kristan Murphy?<br>_

"I wouldn't really call me that if I were you," I said, fiddling with the cutlery set on the table to distract myself.

"Why shouldn't i?" Ian said with a wicked smile crossing his face. "What are you going to do when I call you it again, _beautiful_."

"I don't know," I said, glancing back up at him before I looked back at the cutlery I was playing with. "I would think I'd have to hit you."

"You got me excited for a second there," he said, leaning back in his portion of the couch. "I though you were going to _kiss_ me but I guess that would have been too early to say."

I blushed as our drinks arrived, our hostess setting mine down in front of me without a second glance but set down the drink in front of Ian, hovering herself in front of me before she straightened. I eyed her as she did so. She saw me and backed off a little, Ian thanking her for her troubles before disappearing from our table. Ian took a sip from his drink before he looked to me with a questioning glance to what had just happened.

I raised my eyebrows as if _nothing_ had just happened and a wry smiled spread across his lips as my eyes drifted off elsewhere as we had our drinks. We were filled with silence as we just enjoyed our presence, I guess. We listened to the other conversations from the tables around us that were barely filled and the taps of the feet of others as they moved about the restaurant. I had gotten about halfway through my drink before Ian questioned me on how much I had drunk.

"I can hold my drink," I said, even though I began to feel slightly woozy.

"Sure you can," he laughed as he pushed a glass of water towards me. "Time for someone to wash it down." I eyed him as I took and had a sip of it, quickly setting it down again. "So you haven't exactly answered my question, have you?"

"Do I have to?" I said, my fingers using the straw to swish the tequila sunrise around. "I'd like to be a little more mysterious."

"Well, there must be a reason for how anybody is so I just wanted to know yours," Ian said, with a pout. "It's just seemed _interesting_."

"Interesting?" I scoffed. "Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. My life is less than interesting. It's just normal. _Besides_, what could be interesting about a make-up artists life?"

"You must've done something to get it right to get here," Ian said, taking another sip of his drink.

I pursed my lips, deciding that I would give him a little information on my life so that could get him off my back, and said, "I was born and raised in NYC but I now live in the Bronx, mainly due to the fact that I have very little money to do any better for my living situation."

"But you managed to keep an old school porsche?" Ian questioned.

"As I said, it was my dad's and its not like I use it when I live back home," I said. "He only gave it to me because I was coming out here, couldn't afford a plane fare and I needed it to get around this place since I see no way of getting around without a car."

"Good point," Ian said. "And by the sounds of it, you can defend yourself as well."

"It's what happens when you live where I live," I said, taking another sip of my drink. "If you can't fend for yourself, your dead meat."

"I guess I couldn't survive where you live, then," Ian said. "Probably need someone like you to defend me."

"I could probably use someone like you to help defend someone like me actually," I said. "I'm too thin to actually do some damage. I can injure someone, sure, but I can't actually break any bones."

"Do you have anyone else with you that could help you if something like that ever happens?" Ian question, his features expressing his worry.

"My girl back at home is thick enough to actually do something about it," I said with a weak smile.

"At least you have her otherwise I might have to come in there just to make sure that you're alright," Ian said, his hand hovering near my hand that sat lazily in between us.

"It would have been good having you there," I said, letting him play with my hand. "Would've brought a freshness to the apartment."

"How so?"

"To many of my friends constantly high friends there all the time," I said. "But the things that you have to do when you want to live."

"If you had only just asked, I could have helped you," Ian said, taking hold of my hand and squeezing it but not too hard like last time.

"I barely know you," I said, taking my hand from his and resting it in my lap. "Besides, if you are going to do something like that for me, I would at least like to get to know you just that _little_ bit better and do something for you in turn."

"I get your point," Ian said as Paul and Nina appeared that the table and slid into the seats opposite us.

I smiled at them both as Nina raised her eyebrow at Ian and I, hiding myself behind my drink. The hostess returned with an even wider smile than before and took Nina and Paul's drink orders before disappearing again. Paul then turned us with an expectant gaze.

"So, what's going on guys?"


	5. Not All Who She Seems To Be

_When I'm With You  
>Chapter Five – Not All Who She Seems To Be<br>_

"Not much, just filling in conversation while we wait for you guys to arrive," I said.

Nina looked to me with a raised eyebrow before she looked down to her menu. I shook her head as I followed he lead, reading the menu while drinking at my drink. I found something I liked, which happened to be a caesar salad, but then I thought of what everyone else might think of me if a girl as skinny as me would be having something like that. It wasn't like I was one of those girls that went straight to the bathroom after I ate something. I was the way I was because I worked hard to get where I was and sometimes, that included the fact that I didn't eat. I tried to find something else to eat upon the menu but failed to do so.

I sighed and pushed myself away from the table, relaxing into the seat that I shared with Ian. I began to feel slightly woozy, my head getting sore. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, thinking of how I needed to have some food soon enough to help settle my stomach and make my world less dizzy. I reached over the glass of water that Ian had given me earlier and practically drained it in one go. I set it back down, my dizziness still there but dying off a little. I tried to refocus upon the menu so I could try and get the full extent of my dizziness out of my head.

I gripped the edge of the seat that Ian and I sat upon while I read the menu over again to try and find something that would be substantial and wouldn't be judged for. Ian must've noticed my hands gripping the edges of the seat because I felt his hand gripping mine. I didn't bother look down at it because i knew what was happening and it's not like I wanted to bring attention to it, _especially_ under Nina's watchful gaze. The hostess returned to our table with Nina and Paul's drinks, looking to the rest of us if we were ready to order. Ian kept his hand there as he ordered his food. I tried my best to ignore the fact that Ian was holding my hand as I let my eyes run over the menu quickly again when the hostess' eyes turned to me.

I looked up to her and went with my first choice, saying, "Can I get a caesar salad, please?"

Nina glared at me and I shrunk back into my seat, Nina turning to the hostess, saying, "She won't get that, she'll get the burrito and another beer."

In returned, I glared at Nina as the hostess nodded and left our table, saying, "Why did you do that? It's not like I wanted it in the first place."

"You need something to get some meat on you," she said. "Not rabbit food."

"It's not rabbit food!" I argued, taking my hand from Ian's and leaning to Nina across the table. "I can't help it if I want to eat healthy."

"And guess where that is getting you?" she said as Paul placed his hand upon her shoulder, trying to pull her back. "Thinner than ever?"

"It's not like I wanted to be this way!" I retorted, not sure if she was understanding what I was saying. "It's taken a lot of hard work to get were I am and sometimes, certain things have to suffer."

"Like your health?" Nina said. "Are you serious? That's just not right."

"Like you trying to hook me up with Ian even though we hardly know each other," i said, shifting in my seat and ushering Ian off it.

"Nothing wrong with a one night stand," she said as I got up from the seat and Ian looking to me hesitantly.

"I'm not thats kind of girl," I said, storming out of the restaurant towards my second hand almost ruined car.

Behind me, I heard Paul and Nina arguing with Ian's voice mixed in the middle, although his wasn't was prominent. I got into the drivers seat and started up the car. I was about to drive off towards my decapitated apartment when I heard a knocking upon the door of the passenger side of the car. I jumped in my seat and quickly halted my car, looking towards the passenger window to see Ian. My brows furrowed as he motioned for me to wind down the window. I did so and saw him lean upon the the door where the window had once been and ducked his head inside the door.

"You mind if I get a ride home?" Ian said. "I don't think I can be around Nina right now. She can be a bit over-dramatic sometimes."

"You're telling me," I said as I unlocked the car and let Ian in. "Still hungry?"

"Definitely," Ian said.

"I'll make you something at home," I said. "I'm inviting you over so we can't be interrupted by unwanted things."

I saw Ian smile out of the corner of my eye as I took off from the spot that I had parked in and drove down the street. It took a while for me to finally realise where I was before I managed to direct the car into the parking space out on the street in front of the apartment building I lived in. I could see Ian's studying eyes search the building as we got out of the car, locking it behind us before walking towards it. He raised his eyebrows as he followed me inside and he paused slightly, looking around. Confused, I turned back to him as I was about to take the stairs.

"Lift's in repair," I said as I headed up the stairs. "Time to get some exercise, Damon, without your supernatural powers."

Ian laughed as he followed me up the stairs to my floor. I hovered near my door and shoved the keys into the keyhole, shoving the door with my shoulder to try and open it. Ian was beside me in a second and pushed me gently out of the doorway when he gently gave the door a shove when it opened it. He smiled at me widely as I rolled my eyes and slipped passed him into my apartment. It wasn't that hard to pass him but when I felt him against my back when I slipped passed, I tried to suppress any feelings that I was getting from him. I turned on the light and began to move about my apartment to prepare the nights meal. I but my make-up case into the bathroom and my bag into my room before I returned to the kitchen to find Ian still by the door, looking about the room and slowly closing it behind him.

"Make yourself at home," I said as I opened the fridge and searched it. "What do you feel like having?"

"Something simple and homely," Ian said, sitting at the bench upon one of the stools.

"Spaghetti Bolognese sound good?" I said as I got some pasta and some meat from the fridge.

"Sounds _amazing_," Ian said, watching me move about the kitchen.

"Did you want to watch tv while?" I suggested as I set a pot to boil with the spaghetti within while I prepared the meat.

"I'm good," he said. "But do you have iPod speakers?"

"Sure do," I said as I disappeared into my room and came back into the kitchen where I set a pair of worn iPod speakers.

"Do you have _anything_ that isn't second hand?" he asked me as he pulled out his iPhone from his pocket and set it into the speakers.

"It's what happens when you don't earn as much as everybody else thinks you do," I said, throwing the meat into a frying pan and mixing a sauce into it.

A _John Mayer_ song started to play as I hummed along to _"Waiting On The World To Change"_. Ian moved from his seat beside me to where I stood, watching me attend to the food. I dipped my finger into the sauce and was about to taste the sauce when Ian reached over to me. He took my finger that had been dipped in the sauce and licked it off there. I gave him a weird look and pulled my hand from him. I made a disgusted noise as I continued to cook.

"Maybe it was a bad idea bringing you back if your going to act like that," I said. "I'm no Nina."

"I'm really starting to figure that out now," Ian said, leaning against the bench. "You're not all you seem to be."


	6. Tissues & Meatballs

_When I'm With You  
>Chapter Six – Tissues &amp; Meatballs<br>_

"I would've expected you figured that out this morning when we met," I said. "I'm not really your typical girl, you realise."

"Nina _did_ make a good point though," Ian said as I tasted the sauce for myself.

"Oh, not you too," I moaned, turning to him with fire in my eyes. "Literally, if I hear one more word about what happened tonight with Nina or about my weight, I will not hesitate to hit you."

"I don't believe you," Ian said with a playful smile.

Even though I knew he was joking, I moved from the stove and slapped him _hard_ across the face. He went with the blow and a red smear appearing upon his cheek. Ian held his face there for a long time as we both stood in our positions unmoving. I only shifted because I heard the sauce boiling and it's aroma filling the room. I stirred it quickly, almost too quickly because I spilt half of it's insides out of the pan and onto the ground. I swore to myself as I took it off the stove and was about to turn around when Ian go in my way, trying to help me. The pan and I crashed into Ian, the contents flying everywhere.

"Fucking shit," I said, throwing the pan to the ground and storming from the kitchen.

I stormed into my room, slamming the door behind me but it didn't close fully. I paced my room, my fingers pulling at my hair and feet kicking at various objects around my room. I grunted as I pulled at my hair too tightly and pulled a little out. I paused mid-step and held out the clump in front of me. My hand began to shake as the realisation of what Ian and Nina had said, my lack of food and nutrition had cause me to become this thin and my hair to become weak and brittle, beginning to fall out. It was also put forward by the fact that I was ultimately stressed out at what they had said that I pulled at my hair so hard that it had fallen out.

I moaned as I moved my body to the edge of the bed before I collapsed onto the ground. I made a weird whining noise as I let go of the hair in my hands and watching it fall to the ground. My chest began to heave, my hand going to it and feeling it rise and fall too rapidly. Ian appeared at the door, watching me freak out. In an instant, as if he was a vampire, he rushed over to me and knelt down in front of me.

My eyes were anywhere but him as I couldn't calm down. I knew they were right but I just couldn't help being the way I was. I just didn't eat because I wasn't hungry and because I worked so hard, making me end up the way I was. No matter how hard Nina and Ian's words were, she was right. I needed to eat more food and leave my skinny days behind.

I hated hollywood sometimes. They thrived on the fact that everyone was ultimately thin and made their millions on the fact that these poor celebrities starved themselves thin so that they could be "beautiful." When they got to that stage, though, the press would just criticise them for being that thin. I knew that I wasn't part of that bracket but I was part of the bracket that let themselves get this thin. It didn't really effect me as bad as it did when I heard it from Nina, even though I barely knew her. It took full effect when Ian said it and I cursed myself for letting him have such an effect on me.

I groaned when he took my hands, saying, "Shh, Kristan. The world's not going to end because you spilt the food."

"It's not about the food," I said shakily. "It's about how I slapped you." Oh my goodness, I just slapped Ian Somerhalder and it didn't fully settle until now. Oh my goodness. "Oh, God! I just slapped you! I'm so sorry!"

"Don't stress about that, it's not like it hurt anyway," Ian said with a smile as I fell off the edge of the bed and knelt down in front of him. "I forgive you."

"Oh, thank the _Lord_!" I said, hugging him and as I did, I questioned my actions. I was really acting out of character. Maybe it was my nerves, my little freak out that I was having, I don't now what it was but I pulled away from him and gave him a strange look. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," Ian said, standing and extending his hand towards me. "How about we try and fix up the mess we made of dinner?"

I nervously looked at his hand before I helped myself up using the edge of the bed, saying, "If you're still hungry."

"As far as I know, you are too," Ian said, ushering me out of the room. "Now, lets get back in there! You're the one that needs the food more than I do."

"No matter I say will convince you otherwise, will it?" I said, glancing back at Ian as I was ushered back out into the kitchen.

"_Nothing_," Ian said as we looked down at the mess that was spread across the kitchen.

I got down on my hands and knees, beginning to pick up the saucepan and putting on the bench as Ian help me pick up the meatballs that had spread across the floor. I washed out the saucepan, setting it upon the side of the sink before I got out a plastic bag for the destroyed meatballs. I handed it too him as he put the ones he had already picked up into there. I got a sponge and began wiping down the floor. I could feel my top hanging down low to reveal things that I d isn't really want people to see. I tried to cover myself but that wasn't before Ian looked up and saw one of the tissues I had stuffed down my bra.

I was red like a beetroot, covering myself up and standing. I tried to shove the tissue back into my bra but Ian just laughed behind me. I reddened even further as he stood up from behind me and turning me around. No matter how much I protested, he always had the strength over me. I held the dirty sponge in one hand and the tissues from one of the cups of my bra in the other hand. I didn't want to look into his eyes as I he set the bag upon the bench and taking the sponge from me. He threw it into the sink and before I knew it, he had shoved his hand down my top for the rest of the tissues.

Completely frozen as he removed his hand from my top, Ian held the tissues up in front of me, saying "This." He took the other tissues I had and put it in the bin with the destroyed food. "Is _completely_ unnecessary."

"And so was your violation of my breasts!" I exclaimed as he tied the bag up and turned back to me.

"I think we both know that you have as much breasts as I do a vagina," Ian said, making me laugh. "Now, do you want to take the spaghetti off the stove or do you want me to do it?"

I looked over to the stove and noticed that the water was bubbling over the edges of the pot. The flames were making a hissing sound as the water hit it. I swore underneath my breath as I went to save the spaghetti but Ian had already beat me to it, taking it from the stove and setting it aside.

"I thin it might be a good idea if you had a little break," Ian said. "Considering what you just went through, I think you need to get yourself cleaned up."

"No, I think I'm okay," I said as I attempted to help him but he pushed me away from the stove. "_Ian_."

"Don't make me chase you into the bathroom because right now, you're sounding like my mother," Ian said as he shooed me away.

"_Come on!_" I argued as Ian began to stare me down and walk towards me, making me take a few steps back. "Just let me help!"

"Shower, _now_," Ian said, as I stopped and he stood dangerously close, staring me down and his eyes dilating like when he was trying to convince someone to do something they didn't wan to do.

"I know how much you want that little trick to work in real life," I said, taking a few steps back from him. "I'm only disappearing because you look so damn _scary_."

Ian laughed as I disappeared from him and went into the bathroom. Shutting the door behind me, I leaned against it and sighed, a slow smile creeping onto my face.


	7. Finding Kindness

_When I'm With You  
>Chapter Seven – Finding Kindness<br>_

I took a quick shower, trying to avoid myself in the mirror as I disrobed and threw my clothes to the floor. As I showered, I could smell the scent of the food that Ian was making in the kitchen. Stepping from the shower, I took in a deep breath of the beautiful smell from that was being created. Smiling to myself, I dried myself and tied my hair into a quick ponytail before donning the towel and made the quick dash towards my room. I glanced down the hallway to see if Ian was looking. He was utterly concerned with making the food and didn't look back at me when I sprinted from the bathroom to my bedroom. Sprinting across the hallway and shutting the door behind me, I went about the room trying to find something to wear.

With the only pieces of underwear that I could find being something red and frilly, I groaned slipped them on underneath my towel. Dropping the towel and grunting at my thin body, how the bra practically wasn't holding nothing, the panties slightly loose around my waist. I pushed it out of my mind and found a pair of track pants that would hide my fragility and a tight t-shirt and a jumper that would hide bony arms. Shuffling out of the bedroom and the scent of the spaghetti and meatballs filling my nose, I walked into the kitchen.

Ian was plating up whatever he was cooking with two glasses of red wine sitting beside it. I sat upon one of the stools on the other side of the bench and watched him pour the sauce upon the bowls of spaghetti. I took a deep breath, my eyes closing slightly as I did so. I heard a clatter of plates that broke me out of my trance as I watched Ian sprinkle some parmesan cheese that I didn't know I had in the fridge upon the spaghetti. _John Mayer_ still played over the iPod speakers as Ian took out some cutlery and pushed a bowl towards me, holding out a fork.

"Looks like someone's hungry," Ian said as I took the fork and pocked at my food.

"You cannot imagine," I said, swirling a little of my spaghetti around my fork and pulled it from my bowl.

"With your new found hunger and all," Ian said, going around to the other side of the bench and sitting beside me. "I'm assuming you would be."

"Thank you for stating the fact that I know how much I need to eat this," I said, beginning to eat my food.

A small smile spread across his lips as he began to eat his food. We ate in silence, the only thing that filled it was the music playing from Ian's ipod. He had a good selection of music, some things I had never heard of but I took a liking to anyway. As we ate, his arm brushed against my own, his fingers running against mine. I moved my fingers from his so that it didn't happen again. I didn't like how close he was getting to me even though he knew I wasn't that kind of girl that at least Nina presented herself to be. He was just looking for me, I guess. I couldn't blame him, though. He seemed like a kind enough person from what I had seen in real life but to experience that kindness in person made me warm in side to think that I had someone to care for me. He might not be my boyfriend, but he certainly felt something for me after the day we had known each other.

Finishing our food, we ended up on the couches with our red wine and laughing. I sat cross legged upon the couch opposite him. He had one arm folded upon the edge of the couch along with one leg gripped in his hand as his eyes sparkled brilliantly. His blue eyes were more intense than I had seen when I watched him upon the previous season of _'The Vampire Diaries'_ and when I briefly watched _'Lost_, but stopped after the second or third season. Although he hadn't really been my favourite character upon _'Lost_, he was certainly beginning to become my favourite upon _'The Vampire Diaries'_.

There as always a certain _sexiness_ about his character that was clearly being portrayed here as we laughed together and drank our wine. Finishing off my glass of wine, I knew that was I getting more drunk than I expected I would with the drink that I had when we were out with Nina and Paul. I gave a hiccup, covering my mouth in embarrassment. Ian smiled taking my glass from me as he finished his own.

"Come on, love," Ian said as I hiccuped again. "Time to get you into bed. We have work tomorrow."

"But I thought we were having fun!" I exclaimed, pulling myself away from him as he took my up and helped me to my feet. "I don't need your help getting their, either."

At the moment when I tried to walk back to my room, I lost my balance and fell backwards into the couch in a clutter of arms and leg. Ian laughed as he set down my things upon the coffee table and lifting me up in his arms so that my legs hung over one while my head lolled over the other side. I made a weird _'oomphing'_ noise as he picked me up, crashing into his chest. I took in his scent, smelling of red wine and the sauce that he used upon the spaghetti.

"Hmnmn," I said as Ian began to move amongst my home and going into my bedroom. "You smell nice."

"And you're drunk," Ian said with a playful smile as he awkwardly turned upon the light to my bedroom and soon gave up in turn for stumbling into the room in attempt to look for the bed.

"But you do," I said, trying to get comfortable in his arms when he suddenly dropped me into the bed. "What was that for?"

"To give you a little shock, that's all," Ian said as I tried to pull off my jumper and getting stuck around my head.

Ian helped me slip it off and threw it to the side of the bed. I drew the covers over my body and my eyes lazily looked over to Ian who knelt down beside the bed, smiling at me, saying, "Along with smelling nice, your a whole lot nicer than a lot of other celebrities I've met."

"And I bet you've met a lot of them, too," Ian said, pushing back some of my hair behind my ears.

"See? You're being nice," I said as I let out a sigh and closed my eyes.

"Sometimes you find kindness in the strangest of places."


	8. Bedtime Stories

_When I'm With You  
>Chapter Eight – Bedtime Stories<br>_

I woke up the next morning when my alarm clock went off with a massive headache. Even though I had only had about two or so drinks last night, not matter how much I drank, it always had double the effect because of how thin I was. I shuddered underneath the covers as a coldness shot through my body. I reached over to my alarm clock and shut it off before rubbing my eyes, slowly opening them. It was then that I heard a distant moaning that I wasn't used to waking up in the morning. In an instant, I was wide awake and looking around my room suspiciously. I slipped out form underneath my covers and when I stepped out of underneath the covers, I felt something _squishy_ underneath my feet.

I slowly retracted my foot and saw Ian lying on the floor, curled up into a ball with his jacket folded underneath his head and a thin sheet covering his muscled frame. My eyes widened in shock, completely forgetting that he was over last night and didn't have anyway to get home since I had brought him here in my car. He shuffled underneath the sheet and stretched out, hearing a few bones cracking. He opened his eyes, blinking a few times when he looked up at me. A small smile crossed his face when he saw me, completely out of it and hair all over the place. I became embarrassed about my appearance, shying away from him and hiding myself underneath the blankets. His pleasant laugh filled the room as I hid underneath the covers.

"Good morning, sunshine," Ian said as I moaned underneath the blankets. "And I bet you don't look half as bad as I do. At least you had a bed to sleep in."

"Shut up," I said rudely. "I'm not used to having guys like you hanging around my house and sleeping on the floor."

I heard a rustling upon the ground beside the bed and a moment later, the covers were pulled off my body. I curled up into a little ball, hating the fact that he was seeing me like this and the fact that it was absolutely _freezing_ outside of the blankets. I groaned as Ian pushed the covers to the bottom of the bed and pulled at me to get out of the bed. I moaned and struggled like a little child, not wanting to get out of the bed, just wanting to stay there for a little while longer. I hated waking up this early in the morning, especially after I had a few drinks the previous night and feeling the results of it the morning after.

"I'll make you breakfast," Ian said, attempting to get me out of the bed. "There is no way you could refuse that."

"There are a lot of things that I could refuse," I said as he pulled me out of the bed and I collapsed onto the ground in a heap. "Like you trying to get me out of bed!"

Ian laughed and helped me to my feet, wrapping my arms around my body to try and protect myself against the coldness of the morning. I glanced down to my clock to see that it was something ridiculous like four o'clock in the morning. I moaned and walked around the room aimlessly in attempt to find the jumper that I was wearing last night. When I turned around, I saw Ian standing behind me with a playful smile upon his lips and holding out my jumper. I rolled my eyes and took the jumper from him, slipping it over my freezing body.

"Thought you could use some help," he said as I shuffled out of the room towards the kitchen.

"Thanks for nothing," I said, letting out a huff as I turned on the heater against the wall before walking into the kitchen.

"Unless you have any evidence that can prove me wrong," Ian said as he walked to the fridge and began searching it for something unknown. "I think that you're the one that has been doing nothing." I grunted as I turned on the kettle and took some tea bags out of the cupboard above the stove. "Do you have _anything_ nutritious in your fridge?"

I glanced over to the fridge and looked in side, finding nothing much in there since Ian had practically taken everything out of there the night before. I said, "May I remind you that I haven't been here for long and I'm not someone who is going to eat a lot, only what I have to."

"You know that's going to change, right?" Ian said as he found some bacon and eggs, pulling out a loaf of bread while he was at it.

"I do now," I sighed, making some tea for the both of us.

"Besides," Ian said as he went about the kitchen, trying to find the things that he needed to make the breakfast work. "Why do you wake up at such a _ridiculous_ hour of the morning?"

"I have to prepare myself and I haver to be ready for when you lot turn up," I replied, adding a few spoons of sugar to my tea before sipping at it.

"Funny, because I don't wake up until at least six," Ian said, taking out a frying pan and throwing some oil into it before adding the bacon. "You mind doing the toast?"

"How lucky you must be having the privilege of being an actor," I said, taking a long sip of tea to try and help me warm up before putting a few pieces of toast into the toaster.

"That's why we get payed the big bucks," Ian said, attempting to find a plate before pausing and realising what he said, turning to me.

"For waking up at six instead of four?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "How thirty grand an episode doesn't sound bad for waking up a few hours after the rest of us do."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," Ian said, trying to reach out to me but I waved him away, taking out the toasted pieces of bread.

"Your bacon's burning."

We arrived at the set at around five thirty after I spent a little while in front of the mirror, doing my make-up while Ian teased me. I pulled pinto a parking space closest to the trailers and turned it off, groaning at the fact that my car hardly provided any warmth. I stocked up on my clothes, a few layers to try and keep me warm. Sighing, I went to get out of the car when Ian took hold of my arm and drew me back into the car. I knew something was up because his face stern and tense.

I followed his gaze to two people walking across the car park. I instantly recognised them as Nina and Paul, knowing why Ian had pulled me back into the car. Although Paul's expression was sympathetic, Nina's was harsh and constrained. Her eyes flickered to Ian and her face become even more harsh. I didn't know what was going on between them but I took a wild guess and said it was because Ian was associating himself with me. That he was trying to defied me against Nina's harsh words about my weight.

I pulled myself away from Ian and took a step of the car, Nina and Paul stopping in their tracks as I walked across the car park and across their line of vision. I felt their eyes following me as I walked amongst the trailers to the hair and make up trailer. It didn't take me as long as the day before, but I still got lost along the way. I groaned when I saw Ian standing there, leaning against the door with his arms across his chest. I stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked up to him for a moment, studying each other.

"Get lost?" Ian said lazily.

"Why did you fear them?" I said, letting my eyes rest upon him without the harshness that neither he or Nina possessed moments earlier.

"Fear who?" Ian questioned, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Nina and Paul," I said. "You and Nina looked at each other like you about to tear each other's throats out."

"Things didn't end too well, last night," Ian said, taking a deep breath. "I was trying to defend you but she as adamant that you come under her care so that you could become healthier. I don't think you would've liked being around her harsh words."

"Like yours are any better," I said, walking up the stairs and pushing passed him. He refused to move no matter how many times I tried to push passed. Ian laughed. "Do you mind."

"Not one bit," Ian said with a smile.

"Ughh, your so _annoying_," I groaned, eventually getting passed him and almost stumbling into the room.

Eamon, Amy and Hannah looked up at me as I stumbled through the door. Eamon was standing by the coat rack, putting his coat upon one of the hangers and managed to turn around to catch me in time. Hannah laughed as Eamon helped me to my feet and let me go to my space by the mirror. I put my things there as Amy turned back to the iPod player and searched through the songs. Hannah swirled aimlessly around in her chair while Eamon took his place upon the couch.

"So I heard you went out with Ian, Nina and Paul last night," Hannah said, flicking her mobile open and closed.

"Word travels fast," I said, taking out a few of my things to start off the day.

"How did it go?" Hannah said as Ian walked into the trailer, stripped off his jacket and hang it upon the coat rack.

Hannah looked between them, Ian and I that is, while Eamon quickly took in what happened between us although I don't think he had the right idea. Ian silently walked across the room and sat in the seat beside me as I pulled out what I needed to work upon his face. I worked as quickly as I coiled so I could get the studying eyes of Hannah and Eamon off me although Hannah drew her eyes back to her mobile to make it look like she wasn't paying any attention to what was going on.

There was always a slight smile upon his face as I applied his make up and I groaned when he wouldn't wipe it off his face. When I finished applying whatever make up to his eyes and my fingers going to his lips, I felt him kiss them slightly as I applied a slight _pinkness_ to them. My eyes narrowed at him as I pulled away. When Amy found a song upon the iPod she was using, I motioned for her to come over to me and do what she could to his hair. I took a step back and sat on the couch beside Eamon. He nudged me with a large smile crossing his face.

"His wearing the same clothes as he was last night," Eamon said softly.

"So?" I questioned just as quietly, glancing over to him when I could.

"They're crinkled, too," Eamon whispered, a slightly playfulness in his voice.

"May I repeat, so?" I said.

"You guys end up doing anything…_more_," Eamon whispered, a smile spreading across his face.

I hit him playful as we both began to laugh. I shook my head as Ian stood up from his seat, his hair styled and make-up applied. He looked to me as he went to get his coat, eyebrow raised and looking very like Damon. I blushed slightly and looked down to my hands. Ian laughed as he left the trailer, shutting the door behind him. Hannah, the instant he left, shouted, "You _so_ slept with him last night!"


	9. Break Date In NYC

_When I'm With You_

_Chapter Nine – Date Break In NYC._

"Think what you may but Ian and I know the truth," I said as I went to sit in the chair that Ian had just vacated.

"And that would be you to sleeping together last night," Hannah said.

"No," I said as Eamon gave me a pout of anger. "That would be Ian sleeping on the floor after a night of drinking after complaining that there was hardly anything in the house."

"Okay, that's one thing we have to do once we get off work today," Eamon said, maybe just getting the slightest bit over-excited. "Shopping!"

"Hold your horses on that one," Hannah said. "We don't get paid until tomorrow and we have a long night tonight."

"Walmart is 24 hours," I suggested, trying to be helpful despite my slight lack of knowledge in the fashion department. Don't judge me on that one, please. I'm a make-up artist, not a catwalk model.

Hannah gave me a look that made me want to withdraw my previous statement and crawl up into an insignificant ball of nothing. Instead, I looked down at my hands and started to play with my fingers, picking at something that had gotten underneath my nails.

"Well, let's make tomorrow our shopping day and get her out of those rags," Eamon said, motioning towards me. "You look like you're going to freeze your ass off!"

"You got that right," I laughed, smiling slightly and appreciative of Eamon lightening my mood.

"So tomorrow it is, then," Hannah sighed as she made her way over to one of the spare seats beside me as Amy celebrates to herself.

The set was pretty much like the previous day. Kinda boring and only the occasional touch ups that had to be done. There was another make-up artist that dealt with the special effects make-up that hovered around on set with villas of fake blood that she painted when she needed to. I didn't get to talk to her much, since she wasn't on set for very long, but I managed to catch her name. Tyra, I think it was. She seemed nice but as I said, she didn't spend long on set and disappeared before I could really get to know her.

There was an intense scene happening on the set in the middle of the woods this time around with Ian, Paul, Nina, and a few others that would make the final statement for the episode that we were working on. It was the final scene that was being filmed today, which was a relief, which would also mean that we would be having a break for a few days. Hopefully, we wouldn't have to get back until Monday, giving me a little time to settle in and get some more food in the house. I suspected that Ian, Hannah, Amy and Eamon would be crashing a lot so being prepared wouldn't harm anyone. And the reminder of getting paid tomorrow was a bonus.

I watched the scene unfold from behind a few people as the director called action and the actors beginning to move. I saw Ian begin to leap out at one of the werewolves and rolling over the ground as Nina and Paul watched. Nina, from what I could see, had lost her composure during the scene and they had to start all over again. She began to smirk when Ian and the werewolf began to fight. It was a reaction the team clearly did not want.

Ian and the werewolf wiped themselves down as they went for another take, which was more successful than the previous as Nina managed to compose herself this time. The first assistant director to touch up Ian's make-up called me out onto set. He gave me a smile that would make any girl go weak at the knees but I, surprisingly, managed to keep myself steady as I moved away from him. The first assistant director then ushered me over to Candice who smiled at me happily, even though we had not really met properly. She was friendly enough.

I slipped off set as quickly as I had come on and watched the scene take place again from another angle. I managed to get a glimpse of the what scene looked like through the monitors in front of the director. He was deep in though as the scene unfolded. He almost made me jump out of my skin when he called out "CUT!"

The director called for a second take of the scene and then a third after that. I wasn't called onto the set again until after another three or four angles were taken with multiple takes accompanying them. I was sent over to Paul first, who gave a sympathetic look as I moved over to Nina next. Before I did, though, he whispered, "I'm sorry for everything. She can't help being the diva that she is."

"Everyone can help being who they are," I said in return, finishing touching up his face. "They just don't realize who they are, yet. A shock needs to hit them first before they go through that change."

"Maybe you're that shock, then," Paul said hopefully. "It would make my life, as well as many others, a whole lot easier."

"I don't think that I would like to be," I said in return. "I'm not sure how I could handle her being her."

"It would make you a whole lot stronger," he said, as I began to move my way over to Nina. "Whatever doesn't kill you, anyway."

I smiled to him, in thanks I guess, as I got the attention of Nina and went over her make up quickly. I didn't want to spend to much time on her because it's not like we were the best of friends or could deal with each other over extended periods of time. I was moving away from her in a second, heading over to the werewolf to see if I could do anything for him. Didn't look like I could, anyway. I checked on Katerina, who seemed to be fine, before making my last stop at Ian.

He was seeing a lot of action today so he needed to be checked on regularly. His shirt was ripped, from all the fighting he had been doing. I could see little patches of his toned body through his shirt that wasn't already outlined by his almost skin-tight shirt. Ian must've caught me staring because he smiled seductively as he pulled his jacket around him, covering up his body.

"Focus, little one," he said.

I shook my head, trying to get myself to concentrate, and went to fix up what I had to on his face and touching up the little blood that had escaped the corner of his lips. Happy with what I had done, I escaped the set once more and hid behind the crew. There was a few more takes and one more angle that was covered before the we disbanded for the episode. Everyone clapped each other as we left for our warm homes.

If anything, I knew I was feeling the snow today as I felt it settling on different parts of my clothes and in my hair. By the time that I had gotten back to make-up, I was shivering and my hair was covered with snow. I shut the door behind me and brushed off all the snow that I had carried back down from the set. There was only Eamon left in the room when I returned and he was packing up his things. He smiled at me when I went to the bench and began to clean up my things, only leaving out what was necessary when the actors came to the van.

"What are you doing tonight?" Eamon asked as he mad his way over to me with a small bag slung over his shoulder.

"Oh, I don't know," I said, as I took a seat and swiveled around to Eamon. "Probably grocery shopping. Ian kind of ate everything out last night."

"And I bet that wasn't the only thing that he was eating out last night," Eamon said soon accompanied by some slurping sounds that made me cringe.

"Ew! Stop with the sounds!" I commented, covering up my ears.

Eamon laughed before he said, "You think you'll be able to handle everything if I leave?"

"I think so," I said as he hovered over near the door.

"Good," Eamon said. "I'll meet you for breakfast tomorrow morning with Hannah and Amy. Be prepared for a day of shopping!"

With that, Eamon opened the door and almost screamed when he saw someone on the other side. Ian popped his head inside, an expectant look upon his face as he said, "Are you allowed to bring a friend?"

"Only if she has to," Eamon said as if it meant nothing to him. Trying to act cool, if you ask me.

"Well, then expect to see me there," Ian said as he came into the van.

Eamon gave a satisfied look as he took his leave and shut the door behind him, leaving Ian and I alone in the room. I stood up from the seat I was sitting on and ushered Ian into it. I cleansed his face as best I could without either of us saying a word. When I had finished, moving away, did Ian say something.

"Would I be able to get a lift to the repair shop?" he said, getting up and moving himself to the couch so when Nina and Paul came into the van, they would have somewhere to sit so I could work on them. "I got a call from them as I got off set."

"Sure," I said. "Just send me in the right direction and I'll take you there."

"And I also wanted to ask you something else," Ian said, a knowing smile spreading across his lips.

"What would that be?" I asked, my heart beginning to flutter.

"I would like to ask you upon an actual date," Ian said.

"Why?"

"Why not?" Ian said. "After we were interrupted last night, I think we should finally get to know each other without being a little to intoxicated."

"I don't think that would be such a good idea," I said, unsure of what Ian's motives could be. I wasn't one of those girls that would do anything to go on a date with a celebrity and do anything for them to bone me. "I'm not one of those girls."

"I know you're not," Ian said. "That's why I'm inviting myself over, again, and setting up for a dinner date in front of your TV, watching the ball game, and acting like if we were just there. If I could, I would take you to New York so you could watch the game with me and see your family again."

"Then why don't you?" I said.

Ian's smile grew even wider as he reached into his jacket and pulled out to tickets to a Met's game and held it out in front of him. My heart gave out as I couldn't believe what Ian was doing just to get on a date with me.

It looked like was going back to visit my family and go on a date with one of the hottest faces on television.


End file.
